"It was
around 1963 that Cale would forge one of the most important musical
relationships in history, that with La Monte Young in The Theatre
Of Eternal Music, better known as The Dream Syndicate. The basis
of the group, which included Young, his wife Marian Zazeela, the
violinist Tony Conrad and the percussionist Angus MacLise, was the
extreme concentration on drones - the use of repetition and extension
to achieve a trance-like Ambience.

'We achieved
something that was culturally pivotal. We encouraged each other
to pursue the experimental research into the structural fundamentals
of music, both harmonically and intellectually. I wanted to make
my mark with the electric viola [restrung with mandolin and guitar
strings], so I filed the bridge down and played it with a bass bow.
The Dream Syndicate ended up being two amplified voices, a violin
and a viola. The strings were the predominant overwhelming force
in the music. It still is a benchmark experiment in drones and tuning.'

The importance
of The Dream Syndicate to Cale was Young's military discipline,
the coming together every day to practise and repeat music over
and over until it was wholly absorbed and understood. This would
formulate the early working routines of The Velvet Underground."